Combined jack and bumper for automobiles



' G. JANSSEN COMBINED JACK AND BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 10. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 21. 5924.

G. JANSSEN COMBINED JACK AND BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 10. 1923. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i W 2 W I W? aizig Oct. 21. 1924.

G. JKNSSEN COMBINED JACK AND BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES 4 Sheet-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 10. 1923 Oct. 21. 1924.

G. JANSQSEN COMBINED JACK AND BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec.- 10 1923 I 4 shegt s -sh'eet' Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE JANSSEN, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED JACK AND BUMPER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

. Application filed December 10, 1923. Serial No. 679,530.

To all whom it may concern:

as jacks for lifting the machine. It has for its object the provision of a comblned bumper and jack which will serve not only as a guard but which may be readily and conveniently transformed into a lifting element, so that any one or more of the wheels of the machine may be lifted from the ground without the necessity of extracting the various tools and implements from beneath the seat of the machine or from tool boxes or other receptacles. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench for removing the nuts which secure the rims in place on the wheels,- the wrench being a part of the attaching means for the bumper.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangements of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an automobile having one form of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the combined wrench and attaching device for the bumper;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the front end of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the bumper in section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the bumper arranged in position to serve as a lifting jack;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a different type of automobile from that shown in Fig. 1, with another form of the present invention applied thereto;

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of details of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. v5 with the combined bumper and jack applied thereto, the device being shown in broken lines in position to operate as a jack; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 5 and 9, with broken lines illustrating the position of the invention when operating as a jack.

Referring first to the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the combined jack and bumper is shown as applied to the front end of a Ford automobile. It will be understood, of course, that the device may be applied in like manner to the rear end of the machine and to other machines than Fords.

In the figures referred to the numerals 12 indicate supporting members bolted or otherwise secured to the frame 13 of the automobile. The forward ends of the bars 12 may be offset downwardly, as shown in the drawing, to bring the bumper more nearly in alignment with the front axle. The shape of the supporting bars will vary for different makes of machines and will also depend on the height at which it isfound desirable to support the bumper. Projecting forwardly from the front ends of the bars 12 there are provided bolts or pins 14 having their forward ends threaded to receive holding members 15. Supported by the pins 14 is a plate 16 having slots 17 therein for re ceiving the pins 14. A pair of bumper bars '18 and 19 are hinged to the opposite ends of the plate 16, as shown at 20 and 21, respectively. These bars when folded against the plate 16 constitute the guards forming the bumper and project laterally an amount equal to the width of the car. They are held in place against the plate 16 by the holding members 15. One of these holding members is shown in detail in Fig. 2 and may be provided with an extended web member 22 arranged to bear against the bumper bars 18 and 19 and has a threaded opening 23 for receiving the pin 14. The holding member may also be provided with an ex tension 24 at right angles to the main bar 15, the end of the extension 24 being formed to provide a socket wrench 25 for removing the nuts from the wheel when it is desired to change tires or to remove the rim for any purpose. It will be understood, of course, that various means may be employed for securing the bumper bars in place against their supporting plate, but the form shown in Fig. 2 is one convenient device for this purpose which also provides a convenient to have access tool, making it unnecessary d l esire to rep ace in that figure. This will causethe lower bar a 18 to take an upright position in which it sup ports the plate 16 from its hinge 20. The bar 19 is free to swing upon its hinge 21 to act as a lever to lift the car axle 26. When the bar 16 is in its upright position the slot 17 therein will register with the bar 12 so that the entire device may be moved rearwardly to bring the end of the bar 19 beneath the axle 26. It will be apparent that the jack may be ad'usted alongthe front ortion of the bar 12 into proper relation tot e axle 26. The bar 1-9 is preferabl provided with a retaining pawl 27 hinge to the bar 19 at 28 so that the free end of the pawl 27 will engage a series 'of ratchet teeth 29 formed on the inner face of a recess 30 in the front face of the plate 16., It will-be readily apparent that the pawl 27 will fold intothe recess 30, as shown in Fig. 3, when'the device is used as a bumper and that the pawl will co-operate with the ratchet teeth to hold the machine in its elevated position when the device is used as a jack. The slot 17 is of sufficient length to-permit of the up and down movement of the machine when lifted bythe lever 19. When it is desired to lift the wheel at the opposite side of the car, the device is swung about the pin 14 on that side and the bumper bar 18, which is hin d at that end of the plate 16, serves as the fi fting lever instead of the bumper bar 19.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, the supporting brackets for the combined bumper and pack are provided with forwardly bent ends having slots 36 therein, as shown inFigs. 5 and 10. These brackets are secured to the side frame members 33 in anysuitable manner, depending upon the frame structure, and in the drawing bolts 34 are shown for this purpose, but it will be understood that the connection with the machine may be changed to conform to the various conditions presented by different makes of machines. Each bracket 31 carries a sup orting plate 35 which is provided with a 3 0t 36 extending therethrough, the slot being widened at its outer face, as shown at 37, to accommodate the head 38 of a bolt 39 by which theplate 35 is held on the bracket 31. A stop 40 having a curved face, that is shown in Fig. 7, is carried by the bolt 39, which. passes through an opening 41 in the stop. A spring 42 surrounds the bolt 39 and .bears against the rear face of the stop. The bolt an opening in the end of the bracket 31.- The bent end of the bar 31 is somewhat thicker than the main portion so that when the retainer 44 is tightly screwed into the bracket 31 the sprin 42 will be placed under tension so as to ho d 'the parts tightly in position without danger of rattling. A pair of bumper bars 48 and 49 are pivoted at 50 and 51, respectively, to the supporting plates 35 at opposite sides of the machine. These bars cross one another in the center, as shown in Fig. 5, and extend laterally a sufiicient distance to provide protection for the automobile. Their free ends are held in place against'the lates 35 by the holding members 45-and the ower edges of the plates are pro- L vided with slightly projecting ratchet teeth I 52 which constitute ledges for supporting the free ends of the bumper bars. The stu s 45 of the holding members 44 may be pro- 1 vided with socket wrenches for releasing the nuts on the wheelrims in a, manner similar to that shown in Fig. 2. Both the front and therear of the car may be provided with a pair of bumper bars similar to those shown on the front of the machine in the drawing.

When it is desired to use the device as a 'ack the holding members 44 are removed.

his will free the late 35 at the side of the car to be lifted so that it may be swung about the bolt 39 into a vertical position and then carried around the bend in the bracket 31 so that the bolt 39 will have a position transverse to the position of the main bracket 31 and the plate 35 will assume a position against the outer face of the forwardly and rearwardly extending portion of the bracket, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 10. The bumper bar 48 may then be projected beneath the axle of the car by sliding the plate 35 along the bracket 31 into the proper position. This will bring the opposite end of the bar 48 into position to register with the ratchet teeth 52 of the plate 35 so as to hold the power end of the lever down and retain the car in its elevated position. Since a lifting bar is provided for each wheel, any number of wheels may be raised at one time, and in fact the entire car may be lifted from the ground, if desired. This is found advantageous where the car is left unused for a considerable period of time, since it relieves the tires from the weight of the car and thus preserves their strength.

It will be seen that a combined bumper and jack is thus provided which is always in position to be used, which does not be come .misplaced or lost, and which can be applied to the car when desired without the necessity of disturbing the occupants to gain access to tool boxes or storage receptacles usually placed under the seats or in other positions which inconvenience the occupants of the car. The device also provides a wrench for removing the rims which is carried in such a position that it is always accessible, so that the entire operation of removing and replacing a tire can be performed without the necessity of tools other than those carried by the bumper parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A guard for an automobile and means for supporting said guard in position to serve as a lifting lever for raising a portion of said automobile.

2. The combination with an automobile of means for supporting a bumper bar thereon, said supporting means being shiftable to permit said bar to be used as a lifting lever for said automobile.

3. A vehicle bumper comprising a pair of guard .bars and supporting means for said bars, said supporting means being shiftable to permit one of said bars to act as a lifting lever for one side of said vehicle, and the other of said bars to act as a lifting lever for the opposite side of said vehicle.

4. The combination with a vehicle of a bar, means for supporting said bar transversely of said vehicle in position to act as a guard therefor, and means for supporting said bar longitudinally of saidyehicle in position to act as a lifting lever therefor.

5. The combination with a vehicle of a bar and a support therefor, said support being movable to permit said bar to be changed from the position in which it extends transversely of said vehicle and serves as a bumper bar into a position in which it extends longitudinally of said vehicle, said support being shiftable when said bar is in said last mentioned position to adjust the end of said bar backwa rdly in the direction transverse to the axle of said vehicle.

6. The combination with a vehicle, of a pair of brackets projecting away from one end of said vehicle, a pair of bars supported on said brackets. a plate for holding one of said bars in position on one of said brackets, said plate being movable on said bracket to permit said bar to act as a lifting lever for said automobile, and means f(1)r pivotally attaching said bar to said p ate.

7. The combination with a vehicle, of supporting means carried thereby, a pair of bars mounted on said supporting means, and attaching members for securing said bars to said supporting means, said attaching members being movable to bring one of said bars into position to act as a lifting lever mounted on said supporting means, attaching devices for retaining said bars on said supporting means in a transverse position relative to said vehicle to permit said bars to act as guards, said attaching members being shiftable on said supporting means to bring one of said bars into position to act as a lifting lever at one side of said vehicle, and the other of said-bars into position to act as a lifting lever at the opposite side of said vehicle, and means for holding said bars when serving as lifting levers in position to sustain the parts raised thereby in ele vated position.

9. The combination with an automobile, of supporting means secured thereto. and a pair of bars pivotally connected to said supporting means at. opposite sides of said automobile respectively, said supporting means having parts thereof movable to permit one of said bars to act as a lifting lever at one side of said automobile, and the other of said bars to act as a lifting lever at the opposite side of said automobile.

10. The combination with an automobile, of a bracket projecting longitudinally of said automobile from one end thereof, a supporting plate mounted on said bracket, means for retaining said supporting plate in fixed position on said bracket when said plate is in one position relative to said bracket, said plate being movable longitudinally of said automobile when in a different position relative to said bracket, and a bar pivotally mounted on said plate and extending transi'ersely of said automobile when said plate is in fixedposition on said bracket, but movable into position to engage the axle of said automobile when said plate is shifted to position to move longitudinally of said automobile, and a. retaining device for bolding said bar in position to sustain a portion of the Weight of said automobile when said bar is in said last mentioned position.

11. The combination with an automobile, of a combined bumper bar and lifting lever therefor, and a holding device for said combined bumper bar and lifting lever, said holding device being provided with a wrench socket.

12. The combination with an automobile. of supporting brackets secured thereto, a combined lever and bumper bar mounted on said bracket, and a holding device for releasably securing said combined bumper bar and lever to said bracket. said holding device being fixed to said bracket when said combined bumper and lever is in position to act as a bumper, but being removable from at opposite sides of said automobile respectively.

. relative to the bent end of said bracket to permit said bar to assumedifferent positions on said bracket.

14. The combination with an automobile, of a pair of brackets secured thereto, sepaends thereof bent to a position substantially at right angles to said brackets, a pair of separate plates mounted on said brackets, each of said plates having slots therein, a bolt extending through the slot in each of said plates and through the slot in the corresponding bracket, springs on said bolts for holding said plates against said bracket, securing devices for locking said plates in position on said brackets, and a pair of bars,

rate plates movably mounted on said brack-\ one pivoted to each of said plates, said plates ets, a pair of bars pivotally mounted, one on each of said plates respectively, and means for retaining said bars substantially in parallel relation with one another transversely of said automobile, said bars being shiftable into position to act as lifting levers 15. The combination with an automobile,

.Decemb'er, A. D. 1923.

eing shiftable on said bracket into position to serve as fulcrum members, in which position'the bar pivoted thereto acts as a lifting lever for said automobile.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 7th day of GEORGE JANSSEN. 

